Quaternaries of long chain fatty amines have been used for many years primarily in hair contacting formulations for their antistatic properties, as well as the favorable wetting and conditioning characteristics. In addition, these compounds promote dry combing and assist in detangling when used in hair care formulations in conjunction with long chain tertiary amine oxides. Various tertiary amine quaternaries are considered to be irritants which limit their use in skin and hair contacting formulations.
Tertiary amines of C.sub.12 to C.sub.18 chain lengths which are quaternized with aromatic intermediates such as benzyl chloride, methylbenzyl chloride, and dibenzyl chloride have been used for many years in hair contacting formulations to promote conditioning, ease of wet and dry combing and reducing or preventing flyaway hair. In addition, benzyl chloride quaternaries have also been used as bacteriastats and fungicides and are used in hard surface cleaners as sanitizing agents and in swimming pools as algacides.
Quaternaries such as dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow amine chlorides have long been used as low cost fabric softeners at concentrations ranging from about 4% to about 8% on a total weight basis. Quaternaries such as trimethyl cetyl ammonium chloride have been used as standards for exceptional conditioning and management of hair in cosmetic and personal care products. Quaternaries derived from cocodimethyl amine and lauryl dimethyl amine have been used as the basis for "hot" wax applications for car washes. Diethyl sulfate quaternaries derived from C.sub.12 to C.sub.18 as well as ethoxylated teriary amines have been long used in the textile industry as lubricants and softening agents.
Long chain tertiary amine salts of fatty acids ranging from C.sub.6 through C.sub.36 have been used successfully on a commercial basis and sold under the tradename NECON. These tertiary amine salts have been used in skin and hair contacting formulations in such applications as shaving creams, skin creams, lotions, bar soaps, liquid soaps, body oils, hair colorants, afterbath lotions and splashes, lipsticks, lip balms, bath products and sunscreen formulations for their attributes of assisting in the solubilization of components in these formulations, their conditioning characteristics and their promotion of adherence to the skin and hair.
Physical blends of long chain tertiary amine salts and tertiary amine quaternaries which have been quaternized with dimethyl sulfate, diethyl sulfate, methyl chloride and benzyl chloride, among others have been effective as compounds having characteristics of instilling favorable characteristics in hair care products.